12. Kenneth Lofton Jr., Louisiana Tech
The leading scorer on the Team USA U19 squad that won gold at the FIBA World Cup last summer? The American with the best field goal percentage? The group’s second-leading rebounder and the player with the third-best plus-minus rating? The one who did all this with people like Jaden Ivey and Chet Holmgren on the roster? Meet Kenneth Lofton, Jr., the 6-7, 275-pound sophomore who, at some point this season, may need no introduction at all. Lofton was All-Conference USA as a freshman (and the league’s rookie of the year) while averaging 12.2 points and 7.5 boards in 22.8 minutes per game. That translates to 21.3 points and 13.2 boards on a 40-minute basis, but how much more Lofton can add to his workload determines his ceiling, both performance- and notoriety-wise. His personality, based on conversations with his U19 teammates, is as robust as his physique. He could be a breakout character, and more than just a niche star, if he can stay on the floor enough.
The leading scorer on the Team USA U19 squad that won gold at the FIBA World Cup last summer? The American with the best field goal percentage? The group’s second-leading rebounder and the player with the third-best plus-minus rating? The one who did all this with people like Jaden Ivey and Chet Holmgren on the roster? Meet Kenneth Lofton, Jr., the 6-7, 275-pound sophomore who, at some point this season, may need no introduction at all. Lofton was All-Conference USA as a freshman (and the league’s rookie of the year) while averaging 12.2 points and 7.5 boards in 22.8 minutes per game. That translates to 21.3 points and 13.2 boards on a 40-minute basis, but how much more Lofton can add to his workload determines his ceiling, both performance- and notoriety-wise. His personality, based on conversations with his U19 teammates, is as robust as his physique. He could be a breakout character, and more than just a niche star, if he can stay on the floor enough.
